WMU's mailing address changes to reflect its roots

KALAMAZOO -- It's in the same location but, effective today
(April 20), Western Michigan University has a new mailing address,
and it includes a number that's already familiar to WMU fans.

The University's new official address is 1903 West Michigan
Ave. It's a postal designation destined to be reinforced over
the coming years as WMU heads into a centennial celebration to
mark its official founding in 1903.

"This is a wonderfully appropriate way to begin preparation
for our centennial celebration," said WMU President Elson
S. Floyd in announcing the move at a meeting of the WMU Board
of Trustees. "From now on, all of the University's mail and
publications will bear this reminder of the rich heritage that
we as a University community continually strive to honor."

Floyd said the idea was first proposed to him in a note from
Dr. Leo Stevenson, associate professor of finance and commercial
law. That note sparked a University initiative that eventually
involved Kalamazoo city officials and the U.S. Postal Service
before the idea became a reality.

The U.S. Postal Service officially implemented the new address
on April 20 to coincide with Floyd's announcement. Postal Service
databases have already been changed to reflect the new address.

According to Richard L. Piper, director of logistical services
for WMU, the address change required close cooperation with city
offices and federal postal authorities.

"We worked with Kalamazoo city officials and the U.S.
Postal Service to assure that the address could and would be viable,"
Piper said. "We had to be sure that no official building
or city site bore that address. The city assessor worked with
us to lock up the address for the future."

While there is no building that bears the address, 1903 West
Michigan Ave. falls at nearly the center of the campus, somewhere
in the vicinity of the Bernhard Center. Despite the change of
address, the University's mail service operations will continue
to be housed in WMU's Campus Services Building. That's the location
of WMU's old official address: 1201 Oliver St.

Announcement of the change this spring will allow departments
and offices across the campus to begin making needed adjustments
to printed materials during the normal spring and summer ordering
period for such items. All items printed on campus for the University
or contracted to off-campus vendors will need to reflect the new
address.